Retirement

Reboot, Rewire or Retire: Personal Experiences With Phased Retirement and Managing a ‘Life Portfolio’

This 78-year-old former actuary and retirement consultant shares her personal insights on the four key areas for success in retirement. Be prepared to help clients make more than just the financial transition.

Much of the confusion of retirement planning has to do with folks not understanding that it's more than simply saving. Good planning involves actionable steps to visualize getting from now to the desired tomorrow. Here are six ways to make that idea a specific, detailed plan towards a retirement date you can live with:

Women need to plan for an independent retirement. Statistically speaking, women live longer than men.¹ U.S. census figures show that 59 is the median age of widows. So, a widow can anticipate another 25 or more years of living and retirement expenses. 

While you and your trusted retirement professional will work to create an overall retirement strategy, this does not mean that you won't need to make changes along the way.

So, the question remains: When should you revisit your retirement strategy?

Some retirees succeed at realizing the life they want; others don't.

Fate aside, it isn't merely a matter of investment decisions that make the difference. There are certain dos and don'ts – some less apparent than others – that tend to encourage retirement happiness and comfort.

Retire financially literate.

Early retirement may seem like a dream come true. However, you need to be well prepared if you want to retire early. If you’re not prepared, you might run into complications. Here are a few things to consider before retiring early that no one talks about.

Will You Have Enough Money for Your Entire Retirement?

Retirement is an exciting life milestone that requires careful planning and budgeting. For military families, it requires even more knowledge, because you need to ensure that you meet all the military's qualifications and that you are taking full advantage of any veterans benefits coming your way.

Nearing retirement, your thoughts start to drift farther and farther away from the job at hand and closer to what you’ll be able to do in all that free time - catch up on some reading, enjoy an afternoon on the back nine or travel the world with your husband or wife.

A 401(k) is one of the best ways to save for a secure retirement, but if you work for yourself or a small enterprise, this added perk may not be available to you. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t still save for retirement on your own.